Research & Markets has produced "Glass & Fiber Optic Manufacturing - Industry Profile". The US glass industry consists of 2,000 manufacturers with combined annual revenue of $25BN. Large companies include PPG, O-I, & Corning. The industry is highly concentrated: 50 largest companies hold close to 90% of the market. Most companies in the industry manufacture products from bulk glass bought from a handful of primary glass makers. Demand comes from the construction, auto, bottling, & container industries. Profitability of individual companies depends on low-cost operations because most products are commodities that are bought based on price. Big manufacturers have large efficiencies of scale in operations, which is why the industry is so concentrated. Small manufacturers can compete effectively by producing specialty products or serving a local market. The industry is capital-intensive; annual revenue per worker is close to $200,000. Major products are glass containers, flat glass, fiberglass, and specalty products such as TV tubes, glass ware, lenses, mirrors, and optic fiber. Specialty products account for more than half of industry revenue, containers about 25 percent, and flat glass about 10 percent.
